Following the rules, I ordered a regular slice, and for a wildcard, a white slice.

The Regular Slice

An underwhelming “meh.” I found the slice, even though fresh, a bit bland and dull. The cheese wasn’t particularly flavorful and did not adhere to the crust well. The sauce was a bit more of the thicker “old world” style with chunks of herbs in it. The slice itself was actually a bit more wedge-shaped than normal which was odd. The crust was OK.

The Wildcard (White Slice)

Wow. This was good, really good. Probably one of the best white slices I’ve ever had. The ingredients were amazing, from the Parmesan to the ricotta. Delicious. The crust, much better, with the sesame seed edge adding so much extra flavor.

Speaking a bit more broadly about East End, there specialty really seems to be, well, there specialty slices. Looking across the counter, they must have had 15 varieties of pizza, fresh and looking delicious. From taco pizza, to chicken and broccoli and BBQ pizza. My advice – always order a sesame seed crust and look beyond their regular slice if you want the good stuff.

Rating

Because a number means nothing, I think it is all about how it compares to the others. Because of that, I’m using a relative rating system. Right now it will just have East End, but as I head out to more establishments, It will become clear who stands out.

It’s more important than parking. It’s more important than politics. Long Beach is really all about the pizza.

There wasn’t one hour that went by during the Quiksilver Pro commentary when the broadcasters didn’t bring up their love for Gino’s and the food here. Comparing East End Pizza to West End Pizza can lead to fisticuffs.

A quick search on Yelp yields over 10 places that claim to serve the delicious feast of cheese, bread, and sauce. Google Maps has even more. Like wings, I consider myself an aficionado (really a snob) when it comes to this Italian-American delight. I even said a few days ago “there’s never a time that I’m not in the mood for pizza,” and that goes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. But of course, everyone has their claim for the best. Full disclosure, I’m going into this leaning towards Gino’s already, but will keep an open mind.

So today, I set out on an ambitious project and need your help. I will eat, photograph, and review, a slice of regular pizza, and one “wildcard” slice from every establishment in Long Beach. Don’t expect quick results here, I need something to entertain for the next few months as the winter sets in. What I’d love is if you all chime in as well. For every establishment I go to, any user can also submit a photo and a brief (two or three lines tops) review of the same regular slice and I’ll add it into the same post.

The Rules

I’ll order one regular slice at each location (not an entire pie)

I’ll order one additional “wildcard” slice that will be whatever looks good or a specialty at that location. This is mostly just because one slice won’t fill me.

A photo of each slice will be taken

I’ll then write together just a few lines on the slice. I’ll focus on crust, sauce, cheese, cook, and how it all comes together.

Also, I will not tell the business owners I’m reviewing their food so that I don’t always get the “fresh” slice.

The “winner” will of course get the SeaByTheCity seal of approval.

One note, I will consider expanding to addresses that are on the barrier island but not Long Beach if readers think that will be a more thorough investigation

The List (subject to change)

There are certainly more, so please submit the rest in comments below

Updated 9/22: Please keep helping with this list

Sorrento’s
Gino’s Restaurant & Pizzeria
East End Pizza
West End Pizza
Disalvo’s Pizza & Restaurant (Closed)
Domino’s Pizza (Damnit, I guess I have to stop here)
Mike’s Plaza Pizza
Surf City Pizza (I believe they may still be closed)
Brucie’s Bel Aire Pizzeria (Attached to Matteo’s)
Joe’s Pizza (West End on Beech)
San Remo (Possible Name – West End)
Vito’s

The Maybe List

Olive Oil (Point Lookout)
DaVinci’s (Island Park)

User Submissions

If you’d like to contribute, please snap a quick shot of the slice (camera phone is fine), note the location, and put together a two or three line review. Email me here at shaun@seabythecity.com with “Pizza Quest” in the subject line and I’ll add your submission to the post.

So, happy pizza eating everyone and I’ll be sure to have my first stop written up shortly.